Pastor’s August Message
Dear Friends and Family of HBC,
From the time I was a little boy my mother always told me I was a special person. To be quite honest, I’m not sure I
always believed her. I was certain there was a secret book somewhere that listed all the things parents were required
to say to their children. I had heard other parents saying similar things to their own children, so I was convinced an
owner’s manual for parents had to exist somewhere. It was the only logical conclusion I could come to, but I never
did find out where that hidden book was.
Nevertheless, even though I doubted it, my mother continued to tell me that I was a special person. Recently I discovered just how right she was.
As most of you know I recently had a surgery to remove my gall bladder. In fact, as I write this it was forty-eight
hours ago that I had the surgery and I am sitting on my couch feeling a bit tender with an ice pack on my belly. I’ve
never had a surgery like this before, so this is a bit new to me. Thank you to everyone who said a prayer and/or sent a
message with a word of encouragement.
Anyway, I digress. Prior going into the procedure the doctor informed me that the scans showed my gall bladder was
tucked into my liver. It was possible that my gall bladder and liver had fused together. The doctor would not know for
certain until he actually performed the procedure.
After the surgery as I was in the recovery room, the doctor came to visit. He informed me that yes, the gall bladder
had indeed been attached to the liver as he suspected. However, instead of my gall bladder being tucked between the
flaps of my liver (which is where this most commonly occurs), my gall bladder was attached to the side of the liver.
The doctor then said “In all my years of surgery, I have never seen this before”.
Ah! Mom was right! I am special because my gall bladder wasn’t where it should be. Well, at least I was special until
it was removed.
This is a silly little story, but there is some truth to it. I am special… and so are you. Each of us have unique qualities
about ourselves, ways that God made us different from everyone else. Sometimes we are different and special in ways
that cannot be seen on the outside, but very much so on the inside.
So why do we try so hard to be like everyone else when God created each of us to be a unique and special creation all
on our own? If God wanted me to be like you, He would have given me your qualities and if God wanted you to be
like me, He would have given you my qualities. But He didn’t. You were meant to be, and you are, special.
So maybe there is an owner’s manual after all. I’m not a parent, but I own several copies myself. There is one in each
pew at the church. Doesn’t the Bible tell us in Psalm 139 –
Oh yes …you formed me in my mother’s womb… I am marvelously made! … what a
creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
There you have it. Proof that you are special indeed. I guess Mom was right after all.
Be Still,
Dan